43. Chapter 43
Chapter forty-three
“Rain!” Sin’s voice broke through my wallowing, and I jumped to my feet, rushing into his arms. He stiffened for a second, then pulled me in tighter.
“I’m sorry for everything that happened last night,” he murmured.
“None of that matters anymore,” I said before he could continue, our argument the furthest thing from my mind. “I need your help.”
He released his grip on me. “Cam mentioned that. What’s going on, Rain?”
Instead of explaining, I took a step back, revealing Ram’s body.
Anger seized hold of Sin, and fire flared in his eyes. He took a step toward his general, then stopped. “Who?” The single word held a world of violent promises.
“Harpyn.”
Sin’s eyes darkened even more. “I thought he might try something, but it wasn’t supposed to be Ram. Fucking coward knew he couldn’t take me.”
“Sin,” I said, stepping into his space and drawing his focus back to me. “I know that Ram will be killed if he doesn’t fight, but he's still alive, and I plan on him staying that way.”
Sin knelt by his friend and ran his healing magic over Ram’s body. “There’s nothing we can do. I can stabilize the worst damage, but not even the best healer could have him in fighting condition by his match.”
“I know that, but… Sin, I need you to be truthful with me. How strong are your illusions? Could you affect the entire stadium?”
“Sure,” he replied bitterly. “But it wouldn’t matter. Illusions aren’t real. There’s nothing physically there. The first time an opponent struck him they would realize it was all fake.”
“What if there was someone there? Someone you made look like Ram?”
He shook his head. “Even if I was willing to reveal my power to someone, we’d never find another igniservian in time.”
I gulped. It was now or never.
“You already have another igniservian, Sin.”
His face hardened as my words hit him. “No. Absolutely not. Didn’t you see the last battle, Rain? People die in these. I won’t help you commit suicide.”
“Sin, think about it,” I protested. “Their fire can’t hurt me. They can blast me all they want, and I won’t feel any of it.”
His firm expression wavered slightly. “Maybe,” he conceded. “But Ram is one of the best igniservians in all of Rivella, and you can’t control your flames yet.”
“So I’ll go down early on. I’ll fake an injury and concede right after the battle begins. Shame is better than death, Sin.” I took his hand firmly in mine, letting him feel my resolve. “My whole life I’ve felt useless. Like a waste of space. But I can do this. I can save him. I just can’t do it without you.”
Frustration contorted Sin’s face as he warred with himself. “If anything happened to you—”
“It won’t. I promise. I’ll just show up long enough for people to see him, then take a dive.”
His shoulder's slumped in resignation. “Okay, but you know this all hinges on me winning my fight right? The fire battle is last. If I die…”
I punched his arm. “Where’s the cocky Sin I know? Shouldn’t you be telling me how you’ll win the whole thing in minutes with one hand tied behind your back?”
Cheers from the stadium echoed through the courtyard, and I panicked that the air battle I hadn’t even heard start was already over. “Go,” I whispered, pressing my forehead to his. “Have Cam hide Ram somewhere safe for now, then go win this. Prove to me all your swagger and confidence is warranted.”
He pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “Whatever the princess desires,” he said with a wicked grin, and it was everything I needed to slow my racing heart. My Sin was back.
He scooped Ram’s broken body into his arms and was off, racing into the tunnel and hopefully toward a win.
I headed back to the stadium before my father sent someone to search for me, even though I knew I would need another reason to leave again after Sin won. And Sin was going to win. He was stronger than all of them. I would have surrendered my heart to no less than the fiercest male I’d ever met.
If he could handle me, he could handle anything.